Africa's Blue Economy: A Policy Handbook

Part I - Geopolitical considerations

Case study 2

Examples of joint development Senegal and Guinea-Bissau are neighboring States with different colonial histories. In 1985, the two States disputed maritime boundaries, resulting in a submission of the matter to the International Court of Justice. 1 The court ruled in favor of Senegal in 1990 and 1991; however, the legal resolution still did not enhance cooperation between the States. In 1993, the two States decided to put aside their differences over the legal outcome in favor of joint development of resources, which created an enabling platform for improved cooperation. Mauritius and Seychelles made a joint submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) in 2008, concerning the Mascarene Plateau, which is an extended continental shelf of around 396,000 square kilometers. 2 In 2012, the two countries entered into a Joint Management Agreement for joint exploitation of the resources of the area (“Treaty concerning the Joint Management of the Continental Shelf in the Mascarene Plateau Region”). The agreement provides that the two States shall exercise sovereign rights jointly for the purpose of exploring the continental shelf and exploiting its natural resources in the “Joint Zone.” It covers matters of environmental protection, exploration, andmarine resourcesmanagement, including fisheries and hydrocarbons, and the sharing of resources in the zone on a 50-50 basis. Through a jointly managed authority that oversees the activities in the area, Seychelles and Mauritius plan to issue licenses for oil exploration and exploitation. This approach has enabled the two countries to leverage their respective resources for economic growth, job creation, and international trade. Lesson The above cases demonstrate that joint development of ocean resources and cooperation mechanisms can enhance peace and development in the maritime space, as well as information sharing, and that joint management approaches could enhance security in the maritime space. 1 http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=3&k=73&case=82&code=gbs&p3=5 (ac- cessed 27 November 2015) 2 http://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/STATEFILES/MUS.htm (accessed 27 November 2015) The international community has been addressing piracy and armed robbery through close cooperation between and among all key stakeholders, including States, international and regional intergovernmental organizations, the maritime industry, the private sector, and civil society. Such cooperation has led to the development and implementation of practical solutions, such as naval and operational coordination, prosecutions, self-protection measures for the

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Africa's Blue Economy: A policy handbook